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queen was crowned. And there was also great jousts, tourneys, dancing, carolling and great feasts every day, the which endured the, space of three weeks. The English chronicle saith this marriage and coronation of the queen was done at York with much honour, the Sunday in the even of the Conversion of Saint Paul, in the year of our Lord MCCCXXVII. In the which chronicle is shewed many other things of the ruling of the realm, and of the death of king Edward of Caernarvon, and divers other debates that were within the realm, as in the same chronicle more plainly it appeareth : the which the author of this book speaketh no word of, because peradventure he knew it not ; for it was hard for a stranger to know all things.' But according to his writing this young queen Philippa abode still in England with a small company of any persons of her own country, saving one who was named Watelet of Manny, who abode still with the queen and was, her carver, and after did so many great prowesses in divers places, that it were hard to make mention of them all.

CHAPTER XX

How king Robert of Scotland died.

AND when that the Scots were departed by night from the mountain, whereas the king of England had besieged them, as ye have heard herebefore, they went twentytwo mile through that savage country without resting, and passed the river of Tyne right near to Carlisle ; and the next day they went into their own land, and so de
1 The reference is to Fabyan, p. 439. It may be noted that the inaccuracy here was corrected in Froissart's final revision, where he says that the young queen after landing came to Canterbury and thence by Rochester and Dartford to Eltham, where she was met by the bishop of Durham, who had espoused her by procuration, and many lords and ladies. Here sir John of Hainault parted from her and returned, and she passed on to London, and without making any stay there proceeded northwards to York. Here she was received by the young king and his mother, and the marriage was celebrated by the archbishop of York to the cathedral on the day ofthe Conversion of Saint Paul, 1327 (1328). The king was then seventeen years old, and the young queen not quite fourteen. At Easter they came to London and Windsor, where great festivals and jousts were held.-Vat. MS.

parted every man to his own mansion. And within a space after there was a peace purchased between the kings of England and Scotland ; and as the English chronicle saith,' it was done by the special counsel of the old queen and sir Roger Mortimer ; for by their means there was a parliament holden at Northampton, at the which the king being within age granted to the Scots to release all the fealties and homages that they ought to have done to the crown of England, by his charter ensealed, and also there was delivered to the Scots an indenture, the which was called the Ragman, wherein was contained all the homages and fealties that the king of Scots and all the prelates, earls and barons of Scotland ought to have done to the crown of England, sealed with all their seals, with all other rights that sundry barons and knights ought to have had in the realm of Scotland. And also they delivered to them again the black cross of Scotland, the which the good king Edward conquered and brought it out of the abbey of Scone, the which was a precious relic ; and all rights and interests that every baron had in Scotland was then clean forgiven. And many other things were done at that parliament to the great hurt and prejudice of the realm of England, and in manner against the wills of all the nobles of the realm, save only of Isabel the old queen and the bishop of Ely and the lord Mortimer : they ruled the realm in such wise, that every man was miscontent. So that the earl Henry of Lancaster and sir Thomas Brotherton, earl marshal, and sir Edmund of Woodstock, the king's uncle, and divers other lords and commons were agreed together to amend these faults, if they might. And in that meantime the queen Isabel and sir Roger Mortimer caused another parliament to be holden at Salisbury, at the which parliament sir Roger Mortimer was made earl of March against all the barons' wills of England, in prejudice of king and his realm, and sir John of Eltham the king's brother was made earl of Cornwall. To the which parliament the earl Henry of Lancaster would not come, wherefore the king was brought in belief that he would have destroyed his
1 The whole of this which follows down to the words 'follow mine author' is inserted by the translator from Fabyan.

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person; for the which they assembled a great host and went toward Bedford, whereas the earl Henry was with his company. Then the earl marshal and the earl of Kent, the king's uncle, made a peace between the king and the earl of Lancaster, on whose part was sir Henry lord Beaumont, sir Fulke Fitz-Warin, sir Thomas Rocelin, sir William Trussel, sir Thomas Wither and about a hundred knights, who were all expelled out of England by the counsel of queen Isabel and the earl Mortimer : for he was so covetous, that he thought to have the most part of all their lands into his own hands, as it is more plainly shewed in the English chronicle, the which I pass over and follow mine author. The foresaid peace, which was purchased between England and Scotland, was to endure three year ; and in the meantime it fortuned that king Robert of Scotland was right sore aged and feeble : for he was greatly charged with the great sickness, so that there was no way with him but death. And when he felt that his end drew near, he sent for such barons and lords of his realm as he trusted best, and shewed them how there was no remedy with him, but he must needs leave this transitory life, commanding them on the faith and truth that they owed him, truly to keep the realm and aid the young prince David his son, and that when he were of age they should obey him and crown him king, and to marry him in such a place as was convenient for his estate. Then he called to him the gentle knight sir William Douglas, and said before all the lords, `Sir William, my dear friend, ye know well that I have had much ado in my days to uphold and sustain the right of this realm; and when I had most ado, I made a solemn vow, the which as yet I have not accomplished, whereof I am right sorry: the which was, if I might achieve and make an end of all my wars, so that I might once have brought this realm in rest nd peace, then I promised in my mind to rave gone and warred on Christ's enemies, adversaries to our holy Christian faith. To this purpose mine heart hath ever intended, but our Lord would not consent thereto ; for I have had so much ado in my days, and now in my last enterprise I have taken such a malady that I cannot escape. And sith it is so, that my body cannot go nor achieve that my heart desireth, I will send the heart instead of the body to accomplish mine avow. And because I know not in all my realm no knight more valiant than ye be, nor of body so well furnished to accomplish mine avow instead of myself, therefore I require you, mine own dear especial friend, that ye will take on you this voyage, for the love of me, and to acquit my soul against my Lord God. For I trust so much in your nobleness and truth, that an ye will take on you, I doubt not but that ye shall achieve it, and declare then shall I die in more ease and quiet, so that it be done in such manner as I shall declare unto you. I will that as soon as I am trespassed out of this world, that ye take my heart out of my body and embalm it, and take of my treasure, as ye shall think sufficient for that enterprise, both for yourself and such company as ye will take with you, and present my heart to the Holy Sepulchre, whereas our Lord lay, seeing my body cannot come there: and take with you such company and purveyance as shall be appertaining to your estate. And wheresoever ye come, let it be known how ye carry with you the heart of king Robert of Scotland at his instance and desire, to be presented to the Holy Sepulchre.' Then all the lords that heard these words wept for pity : and when this knight sir William Douglas might speak for weeping, he said: ' Ah, gentle and noble king, a hundred times I thank your grace of the great honour that ye do to me, sith of so noble and great treasure ye give me in charge; and, sir, I shall do with a glad heart all that ye have commanded me, to the best of my true power, howbeit I am not worthy nor sufficient to achieve such a noble enterprise.' Then the king said, ` Ah, gentle knight, I thank you, so that ye will promise to do it.' `Sir,' said the knight, ` I shall